How to Spend Four Days in Madrid

Updated: 7/1/2018 | July 1st, 2018

When I visited Madrid in 2009, I only saw my hostel’s bed because I got bad cold in Barcelona. I left what was supposed to be one of the best cities in the world sad, sick, and upset I only ever saw the city on my way to the pharmacy.

Returning to Madrid in May, I vowed not to leave the city without experiencing its supposed sensory-overloading sights, sounds, and eats. Taking the time to fully explore Madrid, I found a massive city that required planning and organization to effectively explore. Using what I learned in San Francisco, I took Madrid by storm and saw quite a bit (not everything, but enough to make me happy).

If, like me you, you too only have a limited amount of time to see the city, here’s a suggested itinerary of what to see and do in Madrid to get the most of of the city:

Day 1

Free walking tour – I’m a big fan of free walking tours, even if the guide is just some former traveler looking for a quick buck. Why? Because they provide a good orientation of a city, highlight its important aspects, and provide a cursory overview of a city’s history. So on your first day, start the morning with a free walking tour and get a basic overview of Madrid. The two most popular walking tours in Madrid are: New Madrid Walking Tours, which leave at various times throughout the day and Cat’s Hostel Walking Tour, which goes daily at 11am. Both tours are free but tipping the guide is appreciated.

Visit the Royal Palace Though it’s the official residence of the royal family, they don’t actually live here anymore, and the palace is only used for official state functions. You can walk through the palace (both self-guided and guided tours are available) starting at the grand stairway and wander through lavishly decorated staterooms. My favorites are the green porcelain room and the dining room. There’s also the Royal Armory, which houses a collection of medieval weapons and armor. Audio guides and pamphlets are not included in the admission price. Admission is 14 euros. Without a guide, you’ll pay 10 euros.

The Cathedral of Madrid Across from the palace is the main cathedral of Madrid. Finished near the end of 20th century, it’s where the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe and Letizia, were married in 2004. Official state ceremonies are held here, and while not the most beautiful cathedral in Europe, its roof provides some kickass photo opportunities of the Madrid skyline. The cathedral is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 9pm (9am to 8:30pm in the off-season). It’s free to enter, but a donation of 1 euro is requested.

Plaza Mayor The most famous in the city and the starting point for most tours, this plaza once hosted to bullfights, markets, symphonies, tournaments, and even executions. Now it’s ringed with tourist shops, cafés, and restaurants. It’s a good place from which to indulge in some people-watching, offers some good (though overpriced) bars, and occasionally has concerts and events.

Day 2

Food Tour – Madrid is home to some world-class food, and if you aren’t sure where to start, take a food tour. I took the Devour Madrid Food Tour run by fellow bloggers and expats Lauren and James. It was informative, fun, delicious, and filling. After six hours of eating, I was in need of unbuckling my belt! You can learn more in this video here:

Near Plaza Mayor is this indoor market that used to be a big central market before it fell into disrepair. Bought by a foodie and turned into a hip spot with lots of restaurants and stalls, the food here is delicious and surprisingly cheap considering its downtown location. I left full for less than 10 euros. At night, it’s busy with locals seeking after-work drinks and tapas. You’ll visit this location on your food tour, but it’s worth coming back to. It’s open from 10 am to midnight.

Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales Built in the 16th century as a home for King Charles I, this lavish monastery of “barefoot nuns” has an extraordinary collection of art by European masters. It is an often-overlooked place to visit.

Day 3

The Naval Museum This interesting museum provides a detailed history of Spain’s historic naval prowess (and not so prowess). There’s a detailed section on the Spanish Armada’s defeat by the English. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm (10am to 3pm in August). Admission is only 3 euros.

The Prado Museum The Prado is considered one of the best museums on the planet. There are works from Spanish (El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya), Flemish and Dutch (Rubens, van Dyck, and Brueghel), Italian (Botticelli, Tintoretto, Titian, Caravaggio, and Veronese), and German (Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach, and Baldung Grien) artists. I love the Prado and the tree-lined boulevard that leads to it. You can get free admission from Monday to Saturday from 6pm to 8pm, or Sundays from 5pm to 8pm.

Royal Botanical Garden Built between 1797 and 1839, this park is right across from the Prado and boasts lakes, labyrinths, squares, fountains, and lots of flowers. There’s even a little veggie garden during the summer months. While a beautiful place, the pollen really made my allergies go wild, so for people with similar afflictions, I’d take an Allegra (and some tissues) before heading in. Open daily at 10am. Closing time is between 6pm and 9pm depending on the season. Admission is only 4 euros.

Reina Sofía This museum houses Madrid’s best collection of modern art. It includes many of Pablo Picasso’s big works as well as art by Miró, Kandinsky, Dalí, and Bacon. You can get free admission from on Monday, Wednesday-Saturday from 7pm to 9pm and Sundays from 1:30pm to 7pm. Tickets are 10 euros but are only 8 euros if you buy online in advance!

Day 4

El Retiro Park Madrid’s main park, this is the perfect place to wander and relax on a beautiful day. There’s a large lake for those interested in hiring a boat and a lot of walking paths and lawns to lie out on. You can also visit a monument to the victims of the Madrid 3/11 terrorist bombings as well as the famous Crystal Palace (it’s made completely out of glass) that features a rotating collection of art exhibits.

Museo de la Historia de Madrid The municipal museum of Madrid, this is dedicated to the history of Madrid from 1561 to the present. The museum highlights daily life in the city, and while many exhibits from the old city museum were moved here after its closure, sadly most are still in the warehouse. Admission is free too!

Drink gin and tonics Gin-and-tonic bars are the new trend in Madrid, with many bars dedicating themselves to concocting new versions of this classic drink. As a lover of gin and tonics, I was very excited. After a long day of sightseeing, go relax with a drink. Condé Nast Traveler has a good list of the best bars.

Things to do in Madrid on any day

Wander the streets – Don’t forget to just wander around Madrid and let chance happen. You never know where the day may take you when you walk out the door and get lost.

Learn Flamenco — Flamenco dancing is famous in Madrid, and you’ll find plenty of opportunities in the city to see or learn this dancing style.

Eat lots of ham Spain is famous for its ham, and you’ll find tons of places to enjoy it in Madrid. Just look for signs that say “Museum of Ham.” There’s no museum involved, just a lot of ham. Or visit the markets. Or the supermarket. Really, ham is everywhere. I’m pretty sure I ate a whole pig while in the city. God, I miss Spanish ham.

See a soccer match – Real Madrid is one of the most famous soccer teams in the world. If they’re playing in season, be sure to watch a game, root for the home team, and see what locals get really passionate about.

***

It was good to finally experience Madrid after my failed attempt years ago. Madrid was a pretty awesome city. I enjoyed the tapas, friendly locals, history, art, architecture, and crazy nightlife. While the itinerary above packs in a lot of stuff, it represents a good starting point for planning your trip and managing your time. You’ll find plenty of things to do and see in Madrid no matter what time of day it is or when you go. This city has a lot to offer!

Book Your Trip to Madrid: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Madrid by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Madrid with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

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please note that Flamenco is not from Madrid, if from Andalucia region, the south of Sapin. Madrid is in the center. surely there are a lot of flamenco schools in Madrid, but the real flamenco must be experienced in Sevilla. That’s the real one!

Nice post – I flew into Madrid last month, but jumped on the train to Seville the following morning so only spent one night there in the hostel. I’d love to actually go back and see it next time! The ham looks divine.

Great post, I loved Madrid and the food tour must have been amazing. Spanish food is so tasty. I had a ham sandwich in the Ham museum as well when I’ve been there and it was so cheap (1€) and sooo good, so guys you should absolutely go there when your in Madrid.

We are planning to go to Europe this year, and for me as a costarican is easier to flight to Madrid, the main reason is the United States, Costaricans need to get a consular visa in order to have a layover in the states, without paying the $160 for a “interview” where some guy behing a bullet proof window tells you if you can or not even have a layover in the US. (not in agreement but I respect people and countries laws)

Matt, It was so great to read about your experience in Madrid. It really brought me back to my time that I was there in 2009 strolling the square of Plaza Mayor, being dazzled by the giant post office near Gran Via and doing that excellent walking tour you mentioned. I’ll never forget all the ham hanging in the window fronts and the Sangria was to die for!

Hey Matt, I think all of your advice is awesome and when I go to Madrid in a couple months I will definitely check it out. However, one thing that I think you got wrong is telling people to go watch Real Madrid! They’re an amazing team, but their fans aren’t nearly as passionate as the fans of other teams. My cousin studied abroad in Madrid last year and went to a Real match, as well as to an Athletico Madrid match, and he said the Athletico fans were much more into the game and were more vocal. Not to mention, the tickets were a little cheaper.

Great list of ways to spend 4 days in Madrid for sure. It’s a wonderful city but my favorite has to be the Museum of Ham (yum) and the Gin and Tonic bars! I know, food and drink can make me smile! So glad you were able to return to Madrid and experience so much the city has to offer. Eating a whole pig may be a bit much though… lol

Wow thanks for this! I visited Madrid last year to ski at La Pinilla (about an hour away) and we had a couple of days to appreciate Madrid – but we didn’t manage to do any of the bigger things you have mentioned!! (Cathedral, palace etc). It makes me want to go back, and I will!

Seems like a pretty efficient way to cover as many bases as possible. Walking tour, food tour, parks, palaces, and other places…that just about covers it! Got 10 days in Madrid on our RTW trip…still not enough time to see it all, but its a start!

I was sick too when I was in Madrid. I remember seeing Guernica with the flu, and skipping a trip to Avila (or was it Segovia???) because I was feeling too bad to do something. Luckily, a magic soup in a vegetarian restaurant down the road from my hostel healed me, LOL! I loved the ham by the way!!!

Enjoyed your book signing in Green Books in San Francisco and loved reading your book! I was the one who asked about your favorite city in Spain and when you signed my book, you wrote, “You’ll make it to Spain!”. Guess what? I’m moving to Madrid on September 16 as a participant for Auxiliares de Conversación prgram! I’m super excited and will be doing a lot of packing and cleaning!

But before I start my Spanish adventure, I’ll be in New York in two weeks and do some relaxing and sightseeing before I start my new chapter in traveling! Thanks again for the inspiration!

Hey Matt, thanks so much for putting this together. I’m going to stay in Madrid for a week in November and this resource has definitely helped fill a few gaps in my diary! In fact I might just drink G&T’s and eat ham for 7 days 😀

I love Madrid so much! Especially the food 🙂 We went there last year, joined a free walking tour (a very good one I must say) by a company called Madride the first day to get to know a little bit about Madrid history…and pretty much just wandered around and hanged out in bars the rest of our week there. I’d love to come there again!

Hey everyone! Due to the age of this post and the difficulty in moderating lots of posts spam, comments here have been turned off. If you would like to continue the discussion, head over to the forums at http://forums.nomadicmatt.com and chat there! I post frequently and reply to threads on the boards! See ya there! Thanks! – Matt